September 17, the birth date of the founder and first President of Angola, Dr. António Agostinho Neto, is considered as the National Hero’s Day because of his contributions in the fight against Portuguese colonialism. September 17 was established as a national holiday in 1980 one year after his death in Moscow, from an illness.
Physician and statesman, Dr. Agostinho Neto was jailed several times by the Portuguese authorities for his political activism for Angola’s independence, which was achieved on November 11, 1975.
Dr. Agostinho Neto was also a distinguished poet and has published several works including “Sacred Hope”, a collection of poems that has been translated into several languages.
Source: ANGOP